Crystal Light powder cups make kid-safe condiment keepers

Michelle has found a great re-use for the little cups that Crystal Light mix comes in:

My 2 year old daughter has just discovered ketchup, ranch dressing  the like.  Since I don't want her to slide those condiments together all over her plate I started giving them to her in little ramekins, but they are porcelain and I was worried about them breaking.  Then it struck me! I started keeping the little cups that my Crystal Light came in (each "container" of crystal light has 3-5 in them). They are small, plastic and look a little like ramekins as well. She can have a couple of them on her plate, as they are so small, and I do not worry that if one falls it will break. They rinse out fast and stack inside one another with ease!

I love getting several uses out of something before getting rid of it, but I don't drink Crystal Light.  How about it, Parenthackers -- what else have you found that might make a great condiment cup?

Related: 
Shot glass as baby food dish
Sake cup or shot glass for beginner cup drinkers

 

Comments

[Cass]

I use single serve applesauce cups or silicone muffin cups.

[Jen]

Those plastic tubs that baby food comes in.

[Jen (again)]

And when you're out... grab an extra soda cup lid, and put the ketchup/ranch/whatever on that.

You could also use medicine cups that come with Motrin, Tylenol, etc. We always have extras!

[Sarah]

I wonder if you could use plastic soda bottle caps?

Or cut the bottom out of a 20-ounce bottle? Probably wouldn't stack as well, though.

[Caro]

We use those little bowls that you put soy sauce in for sushi. They sell plastic versions at any local Asian food store and I've seen them sell a few for a dollar at dollar stores.

[Wendy]

Those little black disposable cups for salad dressing and salsa and the like? Seems like we always get a few whenever we get food to go - and they come with lids!

[MomVee]

If you can find a restaurant supply store that sells to the public, it's a gold mine for stuff like this--I've seen stainless steel condiment cups that could be used over and over. It's usually pretty affordable too.

[Elana]

We use soy sauce cups too...they're thick porcelain (we have softer floors) so no worries about them breaking.

[oddharmonic]

Seconding MomVee, we use stainless steel condiment cups. We have ones that are about the size and proportion of a large medicine cup (like on a bottle of Pepto-Bismol). The mini pinch bowls we also use are similar in shape and size to the shallow soy sauce bowls at Japanese restaurants.

[cass]

For a while, we were using the plastic condiment cups you get to put salsa in at the burrito place (is that just a Southern California thing?) but recently replaced them with some stainless steel condiment cups about the same size (1-2 oz, maybe?) from the restaurant supply store (as others have mentioned). The plastic was convenient, but not all that sturdy, so we were glad to switch to something reusable and non-plastic.

[Andrea]

I also use applesauce cups but not just for condiments...I know each holds about 1/2 cup so I can judge and portion out cut fruitsfor mealtimes or use them to hold snacks. And I don't worry if they get snagged by one of my kids for playtime.

[Anita]

I have a set of silicone bakeware in my kitchen (which I love, by the way) and I use the tart cups that came with it. I don't really bake with these on a regular basis, so they were perfect. Plus, they 'stick' to my son's high chair tray so he's not able to move them around very easily.

[Cathy]

There are all sorts of silicone "cupcape papers" out there that would be super-festive. Or I have a set of silicone measuring cups that would do the job too.

We use small melamine bowls from the asian store for things like syrup on the side. They hold about 1 cup. They're also good for when our "vegetable" with dinner is cut/canned fruit or a small salad. They're a little tippy though for giving a 1 year old a bowl of cheerios (but the volume is good)

[NES]

We use the dispensing cups that come with liquid medicines like Robitussin. We also use them to contain the three magic M&Ms that my girl gets when she finishes her medicine (or poops on the potty).

[Janette]

You can buy plastic shot glasses in 1/2 oz up to 3 oz size at many stores (not just restaraunt supply stores). We have also cut the tops off Dixie cups in a pinch.

[kittenpie]

Seconding the applesauce cups and baby food tubs and stainless steel prep bowls, but I also have silicone "pinch bowls" used for prep from a cooking shop that are terrific.

[simplisticton]

All that being said, there's something for letting the sauces get mixed together -- my son never would have discovered he likes salsa unless it had gotten mixed with his sour cream!

[Heidi]

A friend of mine saves the little plastic cups that the gelato place uses. I don't know what she uses them for, but they'd be great for condiments, snacks, etc. Plus, like the Crystal Light idea, it reuses something that would otherwise be tossed.

[jacksmack76]

Just discovered the cups from puddings also would work, similar to the applesauce cup ideas already mentioned....

[make art every day]

we use the small stainless bowls (i think i got them at bed bath beyond -- use a coupon!). my 5yo can get herself a bowl and squirt the ketchup out herself. mostly.